Masala Oats
Savory oats simmered with onion, tomato, and warm spices — upma's weeknight cousin.
Ingredients
- 100 g Oats
- ½ Onion
- 1 Tomato
- 1½ tbsp Neutral oil
- ½ tsp Ground turmeric
- ½ tsp Ground cumin
- ¾ tsp Salt
- 1 Green chili (optional)
- 2 tbsp Cilantro (optional)
Method
- Chop the onion and tomato, and finely slice the green chili.
- Heat the neutral oil in a saucepan over medium heat and soften the onion and chili until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cumin and turmeric and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped tomato with the salt and cook it down until jammy, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the oats and plenty of water and simmer until thick and porridgey, about 5 minutes.
- Shower with the cilantro and serve hot.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Masala Oats
Masala oats is a savory Indian take on the humble breakfast bowl, treating rolled oats less like a sweet cereal and more like a quick porridge in the tradition of upma or khichdi. Instead of milk and sugar, the oats simmer in a spiced base built from onion, tomato, turmeric and cumin, so what you get is closer to a light, brothy dal than to anything you'd expect from oatmeal. The flavor is gently warming rather than fiery, with the green chili adding a fresh edge and the tomato cooking down to a jammy tartness that keeps each spoonful bright.
The texture is the point: cooked with plenty of water, the oats swell into something thick and comforting without turning stodgy, and a final shower of cilantro lifts the whole bowl. It comes together in about twenty minutes in a single saucepan, which makes it a genuinely practical weekday breakfast, and because it leans vegan and high in fiber it sits well as a filling start to the day. Eat it hot on its own, or serve it as a savory alternative to porridge when you want something with a bit more spice and body behind it.
Masala Oats: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Masala Oats?
A serving has about 322 calories — 9.7g protein, 40.1g carbs, 14.4g fat, 6.9g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Masala Oats gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Oats. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Masala Oats?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out green chili, cilantro — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Masala Oats make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.